The design, development, manufacturing and assembly experiences in the evolution of lightweight, one-piece, SMC hood for the Econoline Van are described by the author. The one-piece, ribbed design resulted in a weight and cost savings versus the two-piece, stamped steel hood construction. A product requirement that the surface finish of the SMC panel be equal in quality to that of the steel, resulted in a major effort to improve the state-of-the-art of Class “A” SMC finish. The author also discusses how the demanding product performance requirements were met through refinements of design, material and through manufacturing process controls.
